Stacking Spaniards

Today we did many many laundry, made green rice (using salsa instead of water), drank too much coffee, planned for the upcoming music festival and road trip and studio week and had a dinner party at a friend's house. Ruby and Jesse's favorite part was playing with their extensive african instrument collection and chasing their horrified kitties. My favorite part was the roasted beet goat cheese sandwiches and salvaged wood furniture they've been making. And camaraderie.

Here is a lovely interview with some other friends about the music video we were in, it's been getting tons of press and everyone loves it! Kind of exciting. I also highly recommend watching this video of a coliseum party in Spain where people climb on each other to see who can make the tallest human meat castle.

Big Freedia is performing at my work tomorrow. I am so in for it. Probably "Azz Everywhere".

My Four Eyes

This is for you Brooke! Although it makes me cringe a bit to see so many pictures of my face in a row I did promise my sister to take photos of myself in my brand spankin' new spectacles. I'll admit to a secret delight in coming up with "outfits" and wearing full make-up in the daytime for a change.

The cat-eye frames are a throwback style but new design by Jai Kudo and the 80s nerd glasses are just that, actual vintage frames from the back stockroom of a mom and pop eye wear store here in Austin. The eye doctor broke it to me that I would probably never be able to get laser surgery because my eyes are shaped like cones, which also makes it hard to wear contacts. Hence, going for broke on new frames. The clerk at the store snorted when he saw the scratched up mall specials I'd been squinting through for eight years and all but patted me on the head and said "Poor baby, you'll see much better now."

He was right. I have wrinkles??!

*photos by felicia graham

Water: the social equalizer and beauty maker

Ahh, it's here. It has become so sweltering that the kids can't even jump on the trampoline without scorching their toes and so the whole town of Austin becomes merfolk, dropping all pretense of fashion and sports we flock to the various watering holes like so many savannah creatures. The lions and gazelles temporarily side by side eden-like in their mutual thirst, we bathe alongside the weary homeless and secret millionaires, everyone stripping off their titles along with their clothes.

Most of my brain is occupied by life's daily tasks and being present with my children, but the rest of it lives underwater. I've always been slightly obsessed with aqua photography and art in general. Even our engagement photos were taken in a pool with all of our clothes on, and remain my favorite pictures of the two of us. (I'm saving them for our anniversary post) Just look at what lovely images can be found when you simply search "girl underwater". I hope you enjoy this sea soaked feast for your eyes and that it inspires you to go find the nearest dippin' place in which to quiet your thoughts.

Adventure Fashion

Poor little monkeys. As soon as I get well then they get poorly. We've been taking turns for nearly a month now! I finished the elaborate birthday headbands and attempted to cheer the kiddos up with an early unveiling, but as you can see they are pale and distant- even in the warm sunshine. Is there anything more heartbreaking than a sick child? Maybe just the image of a young mommy on her hands and knees cleaning up vomit first thing in the morning... ;)

Looks like I'll have to administer another hefty dose of vitamins, soup, movies and snuggling to these little warriors.

*original headband inspiration here, which she got from here.

Disapproovy Ruvy

Hello blog! No, I'm not breaking up with you. I'm preoccupied. I'll get back to my regularly scheduled content of the Ruby and Jesse fan club/caffeine fueled digressions post haste. In the meantime I will punish myself with this large picture of disapproving Baby Ruby.

Today Evan and Ruby hiked down to the river for a swim and my daughter caught her first whiff of hairy people "blowing fire"-that was unrelated to tobacco, Evan dismissing it as burning plants and Ruby declaring that it "smellt good!" Sheesh.

Myself? I've been shirking housework, learning about bull riding culture, nursing sick babies and working on some fanciful headgear for Jesse's upcoming birthday. I also am hatching plans for a mommy-made Flashdance doll with a zippered stomach. The contents? Felt roach, felt bird, felt lizard, felt mouse.

Jesse is talking like a madman. No really, he sounds crazy and we can't understand him. He's getting better, but when he repeats the same nonsense word fifteen times with increasing desperation I start just wildly guessing. Are you hungry? Did Ruby hit you? Are you looking for the green car? Clean diaper? Then I break down, snatch him up and walk around until he points at something. It's like a really sad and cute game. Stop LOOKING at me like that Baby Ruby!

Fish Uptown: A Song for the Ages

Grime meets Fish Uptown

I've got to dash to work and I haven't been taking photos or having adventures this week my friends, so please enjoy this bizarrely addicting song of a fish monger.

hello. hello!

Sculptures and Costumes

 Before I was a mom my creative endeavours weren't any stronger, just more spontaneous and random. Here is a six foot woman lamp that I originally meant to be a jewelry display sculpture and it got away from me and turned into an alien monstrosity with glass goat's eyes (purchased from a taxidermist of course) a motorcycle gas tank torso and fish tail made from a rake. Oh I just remembered that I rigged another bulb to shine out through the gas cap hole as her "heart". I called it...Figure 2. It scared off intruders from my home for a few years along with its skeletal mate Figure 1 but eventually was banished to the shed for baby proofing purposes. She finally was mistakenly thrown out by our landlord and I hope is gracing the breakfast nook of some strange college dorm and haunting their dreams.

 This? Well, it's just a baboon. A LONG NECKED BLOOD SUCKING BABOON. Don't give me power tools or I make awkward stuff and hang it from the ceiling.

Also before I was a mommy I had nobody to dress up in funny clothes but myself. Here I am as a japanimation cartoon character, and I wish you could see my giant boots and one-legged pants. Lots of water guns painted black, which I think may be illegal. The occasion? Sunday kickball. Sorry about the cleavage Mam.

This is where I make a joke about how this isn't a costume, that I look this way every morning and "what unibrow?" but that's too predictable. It's Frieda Kahlo, guys. This occasion was actually Halloween, a holiday where many many people wear costumes, not just me. I saw another Frieda at the party we went to and was sorely tempted to battle her. Blonde Frieda? Are you daft!

Jesse still wears this flowered headband by the way.

Guest Mural- DC

 I am on the road to recovery. I started caring about life again today- I washed my hair, changed out of my pajamas into clean pajamas, and ate noodles instead of crackers for dinner. I was kind of relieved  a few days ago when I realized I had a fever, because at first I just thought I was just rapidly aging. "I'm so tired! My body is so creaky! I'm so lazy, all I want to do is stay curled in this chair all day. Is this what it feels like in your thirties??" Turns out I was just sick, which shows how infrequently this happens. So infrequently in fact that I don't remember what it feels like. I should be thankful. However, I'm just sweaty and kind of nauseous. Why is my hair on fire! Okay I'm going to bed because this blog sucks. Here is a picture of my sister Brooke and a mural in DC and also an old picture of Evan and I when we were still dating like lovebirds at some famous soccer cup where he performed halftime with The Polyphonic Spree. Why these two pictures you ask? Umm, my sister and I are the same age here and we have the same haircut? Grasping at straws. Goodnight!

I think it was the MLS Cup in Dallas

Diaper Bags?

 Here are some funny, slightly embarrassing photos of my children and I pretending to love diaper bags. What? Is that my friend over there? No, I'm just pretending! Smile and wave. Make the people in the patio restaurant feel awkward. No, I don't know you! I'm just pretending to look in your direction because of the lighting! I really really like diaper bags!